This invention provides a method of safely generating hydrogen gas for use in motor vehicles to increase the performance and decrease the emissions of the internal-combustion engine of the motor vehicle, and a method of controlling the safe generation and use of hydrogen gas.
Federal regulations require that automobile manufacturers improve fuel efficiency and emissions control. The addition of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas to the fuel system of an internal combustion engine is known to improve fuel efficiency and decrease the emission of undesired pollutants. These benefits are thought to be the result of more complete combustion induced by the presence of hydrogen in fuel, as a consequence of which efficiency increases, while dangerous emissions with soot and carbon monoxide decrease.
The hydrogen and oxygen may be generated through electrolysis of an aqueous solution with the gases given off being mixed with the fuel and air supplied to the engine. The hydrolysis of water is known to produce both hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. The generation of small quantities of hydrogen and oxygen using one or more electrolysis cells with the hydrogen and oxygen generated then being combined with the usual air/fuel mixture to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines has been proposed in a number of published documents.
The car industry produced hydrogen devices called electronic fuel injection enhancers (EFIE) that can be used for retrofitting a car. Basically, they use the process of electrolysis to introduce a small amount of hydrogen gas to the air that's already being drawn into the engine. As a result, the mix of air/hydrogen gas causes greater ignition and burns much better. This gives higher fuel efficiency and in some cases can actually cause the exhaust coming out of the engine to be more oxygen rich and cleaner, taking away the need for a catalytic converter. The electricity needed for the electrolysis is drawn off of the car's alternator to create what is called HHO, or oxohydrogen, or brown gas.
Since hydrogen is flammable, care should be exercised when retrofitting a vehicle with a hydrogen generator. The present invention contemplates provision of a hydrogen generator for use with a vehicle powered by a combustion engine that can be safely installed on a vehicle to improve fuel efficiency and decrease harmful emissions.
There is a need for a hydrogen generating apparatus that can be incorporated into a vehicle motor system in a safe and efficient manner.
There is a need for a hydrogen generating apparatus that incorporates closely-spaced electrode cells for increased rate of separation of oxygen and hydrogen in water molecules, in order to increase portability, efficiency, and safety when used in vehicles.
There is a need for a control system to regulate and adjust the production and use of highly explosive hydrogen and oxygen in a vehicle.